Account-book.



No; 704,216. Patented July 8, 1902. C. K. ROSENBERG.

ACCOUNT BO0K.

(Application filed. Aug. 22, 1898.)

(No Model.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES K. ROSENBERG, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

ACCO U NT-BOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 704,216, dated July 8,1902.

Application filed August 22,1898. erial No. 689,194. (No model.)

To (LZZ whmn it may concern/.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES K. ROSEN- BERG, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco andState of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Account-Books; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description thereof.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in thatclass of accountbooks commonly known to the trade as removable-leaflodgers, or such as permit of the leaves being readily removed andinserted at will; and it consists in the arrangement of parts anddetails of construction, as will be hereinafter fully set forth in thedrawings and described and pointed out in the specification.

The essential object of the invention is to so construct the book as topermit of it having the same style or form of binding as is customarywith ledgers or account-books generally, whereby the size of the bookmay be increased or decreased within certain limits and the appearanceof the book remain unchanged or uniform. To successfully accomplishthis, it is essential that the back be so arranged that the leatherbinding of the backbone will remain taut at all times-z. e., as the bookis contracted the slack will be automatically compensated for or takenup, while when the book is expanded the said binding will automaticallygive to theincreased thickness of the book.

The invention also consists in so constructing the parts as to permit ofthe book being contracted or expanded through the medium ofscrew-operated mechanism, thus providing for the parts being positivelyheld locked at any given point against movement in any direction.

In order to fully comprehend the invention, reference must be had to theaccompanying sheet of drawings, forming a part of this application,wherein- Figure l is a perspective view illustrating the book open, theleaves being partly removed in order to show the arrangement of theleaf-holdin g posts. Fig. 2 is a broken top plan view of one of theleaves. Fig. 3 is an inner plan view of the backbone of the book,

said view being partly in section and-having the cover-plate removed inorder to illustrate the adjusting and operating mechanism. Fig. 4 is across-sectional end view taken on line so 00, Fig. 3, the cover-platebeing in position; and Fig. 5 is a detail view of the operating-key.

In the drawings the letters A A are used to indicate the front and rearcovers of the book, which are attached, respectively, to the edge plates13 B. These edge plates are socured by end brackets B B to the segmentslide-blocks O O, which blocks constitute the backbone, so to speak, ofthe book, their outer faces being so rounded as to give proper shape tothe back of the book. From the block 0 extend the posts a, which work insleeves or thimbles a, secured in block C as the said blocks are movedtoward or from each other. These posts and sleeves or thimbles serve assupports for giving strength to the backbone and hold the slide-blocksin proper alinement.

To the plate B are secured the sleeves or thimbles 1, within which fitand workthe posts 2, attached to the plate B. These sleeves or thimblesand posts, while serving to connect the plates B B and hold the same inproper alinement, also serve as supportingposts for the book-leaves D.Said posts are placed near the outer ends of the slide-blocks, andbetween the same is arranged the screwactuated lock mechanism, whichconsists of, in the present case, a hollow thimble 3, rigidly secured toand passing through the plate B, and a rotatable sleeve 4, which extendsthrough the plate 13 and fits over the thimble 3. This sleeve 4 isprevented from moving outward by means of the flange or collar 5, whichbears against the inner face of the plate B, Fig. 3 of the drawings.Within the sleeve 4, near its outer end, is affixed, or it may form apart of the sleeve, the head-block 6, to which is attached the worm orscrew '7. This screw or worm extends through a screw-threaded head 8into the thimble 3. The end of the screw or worm 7 is reduced, so as toform a shoulder or shank 9, which is engaged by the slotted end portion10 of the operating-key 11 when inserted into the thimble 3. Through theouter portion of the shell 4 is arranged the cross-bar or pin 12, withwhich the slotted end. of the operating-key engages when the lockmechanism is operated from that side of the book. As the opening end ofthe thimble 3 is exposed at one side of the book and the open end of thesleeve 4 at the opposite side, I provide for operating the lockmechanism from either side. This saves the accountant being compelled toturn the book over in order to fit the key, which ofttimes occurs wherethe key-opening is formed at one side.

As the screw or worm 7 is turned to right or left the rotatable sleeveiis forced inward or outward upon the thimble 3 and the book contractedor expanded, as the case may be. It will be understood that as therotatable sleeve is forced inward or outward the sleeves 1 of thetelescopic leaf-posts correspondingly move upon the posts 2 and theframe-plates B B move toward or from each other. As these plates carrythe segment slide-blocks C C, it is obvious that the same movetherewith. Inasmuch as the expansion or contraction of the book isaccomplished through the medium of screw-actuated mechanism it isapparent that the same may be positively locked and held at any desiredposition, for the parts cannot be adjusted toward or from each otherunless the screw mechanism be actuated for this purpose.

Upon the segment-blocks O 0 work, respectively, what I shall term thetake-up strips b b. To these strips are attached the free ends of theleather backbone-cover D, which must be drawn inward as the bookcontracts, so as to permit a smooth face and prevent wrinkling, andpermitted to move outward as the book is expanded. To accomplish this ina simple manner, each strip is connected at opposite end by links d d tolever-rods d (1 Each rod is formed with slots 6 and held to thesegment-blocks by pins 6. This forms a lazytongs connection, whichcloses and opens upon the inward and outward movement of thesegment-blocks.

Each leaf D is preferably attached to a stub D by a flexible joint D andeach stub is provided with holes 13,Which permit of the leaves beingfitted over and sliding upon the telescopic posts and central lock-post,and each hole of the stub is intercepted by a rearward slot 14, whichpermits of the leaves being taken out and put in without removing orentirely separating the covers of the book.

I do not wish to be understood as confining myself to the particularform of take-up mech anism herein described for the backbonecover, for Iam well aware that changes may be made in the mechanical constructionthereof, although the described connection is a simple and effective oneand for such reason has been described and illustrated as a preferredform of connection.

In order to protect the edges of the leaves against interfering with thetake-up mechanism, the said mechanism is provided with a guard, which inthe present case consists of the plates 14 15, which are attached,respec" tively, to the frame-plates B B. One of said platessay l4.hasits ends flanged over in order to provide guide-supports 16 for theplate 15. When the several parts work toward or from each other, theplate 15 moves inward and outward below the plate 14: in v the guides16.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure protection in by Letters Patent, is

1. In a book of the character described, the combination with theadjustable frameplates, the telescopic connecting-posts carried therebyand which constitute leaf-supports, of the screw-actuated lock mechanismby which the frame-plates are adjusted toward and from each other, saidmechanism comprising a thimble having a screw-threaded opening therein,a screw or worm working therein, means for holding the screw or wormagainst longitudinal movement, and means at each end of said screw orworm to facilitate turning of the same.

2. In a book of the character described, the combination with a backboneand cover, of an automatic take-up connected with the free ends of thecover whereby said cover may be adjusted to the adjustment of thebackbone comprising the lever-rods (Z 61 and the relatively short linkscl, cl pivoted to the respective ends of said rods and to said cover,and means for positively expanding or contracting said backbone,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses,this 15th day of August, 1898.

CHARLES K. ROSENBERG. iVitnesses:

N. A. AOKER, LEE D. CRAIG.

